


Warning

by nothingeverlost



Series: Shadows and Light [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-07 18:36:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21462670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nothingeverlost/pseuds/nothingeverlost
Summary: Emma visits Maurice French in the hospital and makes a few things clear.
Relationships: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold
Series: Shadows and Light [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1547152
Comments: 9
Kudos: 22





	Warning

**Author's Note:**

> Things Half in Shadow is all told in either Gold or Belle’s voice, so this is a scene I can’t include. But I wanted to write it, so here is is. Emma, visiting Moe in the hospital. Takes place parallel to chapter 12.
> 
> TW: mentions of sexual abuse.
> 
> Things Half in Shadow: https://archiveofourown.org/works/428928/chapters/723700

“The nurse said you’re well enough to talk now.” Emma kept her face carefully blank as she walked into the hospital room.

“You’re the one that served me the papers. Now you understand why I was trying to get my daughter out of that place.” Moe French didn’t look small in the bed, not like people said sometimes about sick people. He did, however, look like he was in pain. One side of his face was bruised with a number of cuts, his left arm was in a sling, one leg was elevated in traction and he wore a neck brace. Gold had done a number on him.

“I understand things.” She’d read Gold’s statement. She hadn’t talked to Belle yet, but that was next. Even without it Emma had a good idea of who she was talking to; Gold had been right when he’d called the man a monster.

“My lawyer is going to draw up the papers to have her removed from…”

“Belle isn’t going anywhere.” It made her fingers twitch, to hear the confidence in his voice. He was a man used to getting what he wanted, but she wasn’t going to let that happen. Not in her town.

“She is my daughter, Sheriff, and I will decide…”

“She is her own person, French, and she will decide for herself. If she tells me she wants to leave then I will help her do that. If she wants to stay then I swear to you that’s what’s going to happen.” She’d barely gotten a look at the girl, when Gold had opened the door. They hadn’t exchanged a single word. But Emma knew her. Understood her. Belle wasn’t going anywhere.

“You’re a small-town cop, you don’t have the first idea what I can do.” Moe French struggled to sit up, probably forgetting about his leg. The way he fell back down might have been comical if just being near him didn’t make her feel dirty.

“You don’t have the first idea what I can do, French, starting with adding your name and your details to the sex offenders registry. I will make sure your picture is up there along with your address. Your business name’s gonna be there too. How many people do you think are going to want to do business with you once they know what you are?” It was, at the moment, the best card she had. She hoped he understood that it wasn’t a bluff.

“I would never hurt my daughter. That is disgusting.” There was a little too much bluster in his voice, and only the slightest hesitation. If Emma had any doubt it was gone now.

She needed a shower.

“I came to find out if you were pressing charges against Doctor Gold.” She was really ready to have him out of her sight, not that she was looking forward to her next stop.

“Of course I am. Look what the bastard did to me.”

“You’re ready for this to be made public, then? Because if you press charges I can tell you right now that Gold’s gonna make sure that his side of the story is heard too. The press, being the bloodthirsty assholes they are, are going to have a field day with this one, especially once they learn about the restraining order your daughter got to protect herself from you. And I promise, French, they are going to find out about it.” She would make sure they did.

“You don’t have the right to talk to me like this.” Moe French glared at her, but from the confines of his bed that was all he could do. Ironic, that he was powerless in a bed now.

“No, you didn’t have the right to do what you did to your daughter, but you did. I will do everything I can to make sure that you aren’t able to do it again.” She’d seen the look in Gold’s eyes, and knew that her own dedication was nothing compared to his. But she would do what she could.

“I…”

“I think you shouldn’t say anything now, French. I’ll come back in a couple of days, let you talk to your lawyers, let them tell you that I can do exactly what I’ve promised and how that would impact your business.” His type always cared about money, because money was power. French liked power, especially over those weaker than himself. 

Emma wasn’t weak. 

“Think about what I said.” Emma left before he could answer; she didn’t want to hear anything he had to say. Once she was out of the hospital she reached for her phone and texted Graham. ‘Drinks tonight?’ She could use some company, and teasing Graham about the new guy he was interested in would take her mind off of the monsters in the shadows.


End file.
